Many years ago, I had a random burst of inspiration to create a non-traditional lasagna as a surprise dinner for my over-worked boyfriend. I had never actually made a lasagna before, and was only basing the recipe on a few items I wanted to include. Ground turkey, bacon, smoked cheese, and spinach. I researched a few different lasagna recipes to get a sense of other ingredients I would need, as well as the mechanics of cooking a lasagna. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t as hard as I thought! The stars aligned for this Alfredo lasagna recipe – after an hour or so of winging it, I had one of the most delicious lasagnas I’ve ever eaten!

I’ve continued to make this lasagna recipe throughout the years, always trying to remember exactly what I did by looking at pictures. It had been a while since I last made this lasagna, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to finally write out the recipe. That way I’d finally have it, and best of all, I’d get to share it with all of you!

I hope you all enjoy my Turkey and Bacon Alfredo Lasagna recipe!

Here’s what you need:

2 16 oz. bags of frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

16 oz. of ricotta

1 box lasagna noodles

1 lb. of ground turkey

1 package of turkey bacon, diced

3/4 medium onion, chopped

3/4 medium bell pepper, chopped

2 cups of mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp paprika

1 TBSP oregano

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz. smoked cheese blend, shredded

2 jars Alfredo sauce

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, brown turkey over medium heat. Once turkey is cooked through, drain on paper towel and set aside.

I like to cook everything in the same pan, so all the flavors meld together. If you’re short on time, you could certainly use multiple pans. After you’ve cooked the ground turkey, lightly brown the bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Set bacon aside. Saute the onion and bell pepper over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then add your spices and garlic, cooking for another 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey and your sauteed vegetables. Set aside about a 1/3 of the diced bacon; this will be for topping the lasagna. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the bacon, ricotta, and drained spinach. You really want to make sure you get all the liquid out of the spinach, so it doesn’t make the lasagna watery.

You now have all the components to assemble your lasagna! Lightly coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray, and then spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce on the bottom. Layer lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, and sprinkle 1/4 of cheese over the noodles.

I previously mentioned in my Spinach and Prosciutto Lasagna recipe, I use no boil noodles, because that’s the only kind Trader Joe’s carries. If you choose to use no boil noodles as well, I like to soak them in hot water for about 5-10 minutes. They will be more pliable and you won’t have any crunchy noodles in your lasagna!

Crumble 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. Layer 1/3 of the ground turkey mixture on top of that. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of sauce, smoothing out slightly with the back of a spoon. Don’t worry if your sauce isn’t spreading everywhere, all the ingredients will meld together while the lasagna bakes. Repeat all layers two more times.

Place one final layer of noodles, and evenly spread 1 cup of sauce over that. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon on top. Note: if you can’t find a smoked cheese blend, you could always buy smoked mozzarella and shred it yourself. Just be sure to measure the cheese after shredding.

Back uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and the edges have browned. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

This delicious lasagna serves 12 huge portions; even more if you like smaller portions! I love how different this Alfredo lasagna recipe is from a traditional lasagna. The smokiness from the cheese and bacon, mixed with the creamy Alfredo sauce is an amazing combination of flavor!

As always, let me know if you make this recipe and how it turns out! Happy eating!

HI!

My name’s Michele, and lil bit is a blog about, well, a ‘lil bit’ of everything! I love food and to travel, I recently moved to Portland and am exploring the city, I am a self-proclaimed “uncrafty crafter” trying to become a better DIY-er, but most of all -- I am a 20-something girl trying to find the right path, my path, in this crazy but amazing world.